Show The original attempt to obtain statehood for the state of Deseret was an unusually strong effort and the next greatest eff rt to secure seure statehood was made in 1887 when the Peoples People's party called a convention convention conven- conven tion to be held on an June 30 of that year and adopted a constitution Like o oter her efforts it failed The convention of 1887 as detailed detailed de- de tailed In the report of of the Utah commission for the year ear 1888 was vas held without authority front from any proper source and the proposition made to the government in substance sub sub- stance was Admit Utah into the Union nd we will adopt a constitution constitution making bigamy and pOlygamy polygamy amy misdemeanors In other I words Take Tako from the tho government the control which it now holds and exercises over the evil of polygamy and place It In the hands of those who have persistently def its practice This proposition was made says the report despite the fact that up to the close of the da day which preceded the adoption of the proposed constitution there had not been given the slightest evidence nce inthe in the press the pulpit whIch Is supreme su- su preme with the Mormon people or orby orby by any act of the formon people that anyone had changed his views or intentions with respect to polygamy polygamy amy and its practice The crime of polygamy Is complete corn com with the performance of the marrIage ceremony but a great evil resulting from such marrIage consists con con- of unlawful cohabitation the pernicious moral example of one man living with two or more women as wives under the plea of performIng perform perform- ing a religious duty The proposed constitution Is silent with perform perform-I respect to this offense The full importance of omIssion will he be better understood by the statement that during the twenty twenty- seven years and over that the anti anti- polygamy n laws have been In force but few persons llave flavo been convicted convicted con con- for the crime of entering into pOlygamy the evidence of such marriages being studiously concealed con con- The commission was therefore of the opinion that before the peo peo- pIe lle of Ut Uth h territory had passed the wholesome some restraints of the national laws Into the sovereign domain of statehood they should t I least manifest by their acts that the new departure was taken in good faith that there was In truth trutha a complete emancipation from the errors of the pa past t his conclusion us to be supported by the both of justice and polIcy pol- pol Icy justice for the government has the right to and should know before it yields its authority that the sentiment country is ex- ex ed in its legislation respecting polygamy In all its breadth and depth has been accepted by by the Mormon people policy because the government cannot afford to assume assume as- as sume any risk in its treatment of the evil of polygamy polygamy- polygamy annot annot afford afford af- af ford to surrender er the great advantage advantage tage which It now holds holds' and has been secured at so o much expense ex- ex pense and trouble Further there can be no harm result from delay in the admission of the territory to the Union of states If H in truth pOlygamy has departed as is is now claimed such action should be taken as will forever forever for ever prevent its return Political action affecting statehood statehood state state- hood is then discussed in the report of the majority of the commission which sa says s 's The committee on territories territories ter- ter of time the United States s sea sea- nate n- n ate to which was referred the memorial rom from the constitutional convention asking for the admission admission sion of Utah into the Union unanimously reported that there must be un undoubted evidence on the part of the Mormon people of the abandonment abandon abandon- mont ment of polygamy before the territory terri tern tory could be admitted as a state The committee on territories in the house of representatives to which was also referred the memorial for forthe forthe the admission of Utah responded ed edy by y z reporting a proposed amendment I to tHe constitution of the United States to the practice of pOlygamy thus indicating an opinion opinion ion th t Utah should not be admitted admitted ad- ad under present conditions The Democratic and amid Republican parties of the territory of Utah In their terrItorial convention sInce held unanimously opposed statehood state state- statehood hood and indorsed the position taken by the commissIon in its majority ma- ma report In the light of these facts and of the action taken by the Mormon people the church and the legislature ture referred to more fully elsewhere in this report the commission corn com mission has only to say that it reaffirms reaffirms re- re affirms its former position respecting respecting re- re statehood 4 A. A |